I love to small vanilla, whether in my kitchen
extract bottle,
candles, soap or room fresheners. And there’s nothing better than the flavor of vanilla in baked goods, such as cookies, pound cakes and a multitude of other goodies. If a
recipe calls for one teaspoon vanilla extract, I use at least two. I can’t get
enough of this aromatic delicacy.
But store bought real vanilla extract is expensive and
it disappears quickly around my house. Homemade
vanilla extract is so easy to make it and you’ll save tons of money if you’re a
regular baker. And besides, store bought just doesn’t compare to the kind you
make at home.
It takes a little while, but it’s so worth the
effort. So if you plan to share this as gifts with friends, say for Christmas,
start making it early in the Fall because it takes at least six to eight weeks. The longer the beans are left in the jar, the
better. The flavor will just continue to blend and mature. And what a beautiful Holiday Gift! You will
have a thoughtful homemade gift that everyone uses, that costs you very little
and is almost effortless on your part when it comes to making. . All the
perfect elements for a Gift!
HOMEMADE VANILLA
To make vanilla extract you need vanilla beans.
Beans come from a lot of places, but I prefer Madagascar vanilla beans. Madagascar Vanilla Beans are superior in
flavor and aromatic qualities that make these beans the most popular and sought
after vanilla variety. The flavor is a rich, dark and creamy with an
overwhelming sweet, buttery aroma. Vanilla Beans can be
VERY pricey at the grocery store, so if you plan to make more than a bottle of
extract I highly suggest purchasing your beans at Beanilla, they have 25
Madagascar Vanilla Beans for $25 + FREE shipping! That’s a fantastic price! Go to
their website to order: http://www.beanilla.com/
Next, you need alcohol (at least 35% by volume) in
order to extract the vanilla from the vanilla beans. It’s best to use vodka. Don’t go too pricey, but don’t skimp and go cheap either. A nice, middle-of-the-road vodka.
Vodka produces a cleaner and lighter vanilla extract and adds no taste to your
finished product.
You need a glass jar that seals in which to make
extract. It doesn’t have to be fancy and any clean glass jar with a lid or a cork will do. An 8.5-ounce bottle is perfect. You just add five Vanilla Beans to it and top it off with one cup (8 ounces) of vodka and sealed it off. The rule of thumb is 5 beans per 1 cup vodka. And you need a funnel to pour the
Vodka into the jar
If you use large jars, add more beans. It’s
important to not skimp on the beans. They may seem a little expense to you at first, but the flavor of your
vanilla extract will be SO WORTH IT, you’ll be glad you were generous with
them.
Before placing the vanilla beans in the jar, slice
each bean in half lengthwise with a sharp paring knife, stopping one inch before one of the ends
so the bean doesn’t split in half. But don’t worry if they do split. It’s not that important. You can scrape the
seeds from the inside of the beans, then add the scrapings and beans separately
into the jar. Or just slice the beans in half and place them into the jar all
at once.
Fill up the jar 95% of the way full with vodka,
seal, shake for about thirty seconds, and place them in a quiet corner on your countertop or on a
shelf in your pantry, out of direct sun light. They’ll be there for a few
months.
Once a week or so, give the jars a good ten-second
shake. There’s no other requirements but just waiting and let the vodka do its
extraction work to the beans. Over time,
the taste of the alcohol fades and the taste of vanilla replaces the alcohol.
After the months have passed, start using the vanilla extract in any recipe you’d
normally use it in. It’s as simple as that!
You can strain the vanilla extract before using it,
but it’s not necessary and I personally love seeing those real vanilla bean
flecks and seeds in my baked goods.
When the vanilla extract is gone, top it off with
more vodka to allow the extraction cycle to continue and after 6 months or so,
replace the beans with new ones, so you have another bottle of vanilla extract
to use.
Used vanilla beans, no longer good for making extract,
can be dried out, and added to a bag of
sugar to produce vanilla-scented sugar. Vanilla sugar is nice to bake with and
adds an extra vanilla kick to recipes, coffee, etc.
Again, here’s a real quick rundown of making
Homemade Vanilla:
Here’s a quick rundown of the process:
1)
Wash and dry bottles
2) Cut vanilla beans in half (width-wise)
3) Drop vanilla beans in bottles (5 beans per cup of vodka)
4) Pour vodka and close bottles
5) Give the bottles a shake every couple of days
6) After 6 to 8 weeks, the vanilla is done!
More Gifts Using Vanilla Beans:
VANILLA SUGAR:
There is
nothing quite as simple or versatile as homemade vanilla sugar. Vanilla sugar
can be used in a variety of desserts; from apple pies and snickerdoodles to crème brûlée . Vanilla sugar can even be used in savory
recipes to give a slight sweetness in barbecue sauce and vinaigrettes. Add to
drinks such as coffee or tea - the possibilities are endless!
Vanilla
sugar is a simple and heartfelt way to say thank you to guests at any dinner
party, wedding reception or even as a gift for an aspiring. Making your
creation could not be simpler.
There are
two ways that you can make vanilla sugar.
Quick Vanilla
Sugar:
24
ounces granulated sugar
4
Madagascar vanilla beans (split and scraped)
Combine
the sugar and vanilla bean scrapings in a medium bowl. Using your hands (using
disposable gloves is preferred), slowly rub together the sugar and the vanilla
bean scrapings until all the scrapings have been dispersed well throughout the
sugar. Pour sugar/bean mixture into one of our decorative glass jars. Cork and
set aside to give as gifts. The vanilla and sugar will age over time and become
more fragrant and delicious
Aged Vanilla
Sugar:
Once you
have used your vanilla bean for desserts or savory items you have created do
not throw them away! Add them to your sugar container to enhance all of your
baked goods with beautiful vanilla flavor.
1
sugar container
Used
vanilla beans, dried (if used in wet things such as creams & crème brulees)
Place
vanilla bean into your sugar container after using and cover with sugar.
Continue this each time you use a bean. The vanilla flavor will intensify over
time and with the addition of more used beans (it usually takes 2-3 weeks to
infuse the first bean into the sugar). Add additional beans to maintain the flavor
and refresh the sugar, if needed.
Your
homemade vanilla sugar should a very light golden brown in color. Feel free
to experiment with the flavor by adding more beans (used or unused).
VANILLA BEAN CARAMEL SAUCE
I’ve
always been a big fan of ice cream toppings.
Hot fudge, caramel,
butterscotch, pineapple, etc. etc. My Grandfather loved ice cream, so it
was always a treat to have a bowl of ice cream drowned in the toppings we got
at the United Dairy Farmers store. This
vaniloa bean caramel sauce takes me back to those wonderful times of eating ice
cream with Papaw. It willo make a
beautiful gifts for your friends. Or you
could be like my sister Frankie and dip apple slices in it. Or do as Steve does, drizzling it over his
homemade cheesecake. The possibilities
are ENDLESS!
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Spread the
sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Place over medium-low heat, watching carefully. When the sugar
begins to liquefy around the edges, use a heatproof spatula to gently stir it
towards the center. Continue stirring very gently until all the sugar is
melted, taking care not to over stir. Measure out the heavy cream in a
liquid measuring cup and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream.
Set aside. Once the caramel reaches a deep amber color, immediately
remove the sauce pan from the heat. (To test the color, spoon a drop onto
a white plate or bowl.) Carefully whisk in half of the heavy cream along
with the vanilla bean seeds. The mixture will steam and bubble violently.
Stir until the cream is well incorporated, then whisk in the remaining cream.
Stir in the salt and the vanilla. If any sugar has hardened, place
the saucepan over low heat and whisk until smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
If needed, it can be rewarmed in the microwave or in a saucepan over low
heat. Yield: 1-1/2 cups
Do
you have people on your Christmas list who you have no idea what to buy
for? Today’s post continues with my
series “Gifts From My Kitchen”. And it’s
a great one! How about creating a
special recipe book for them? It’s easy,
but so appreciated when they open it p to some of your very own favorite
recipes. And in your own writing will
make each one even more treasured by them one day. I have recipes written out by my Mom and my
Aunts, and seeing their writing today is as special to me as the recipes
themselves. 
Finally,
you'll need a photo album with plastic protective sleeves. Ideally you’ll want
a 3-ring photo album that holds two 4"x6" pictures per page (two on
the back of those).
